Life of unused laminate sails

[robbieg]

If stored dry, rolled (not folded) and not used (ie no salt or uv) what's the life of laminate sails roughly. I am being told that after 5 years they are really only fit for the skip even if they have never been used in anger which I find suprising. Anyone care to comment?

 

[flaming]

Suprised at that, especially as I know of laminate sails that are older than that and used heavily and are still serviceable.

In my experience it's UV and flogging that destroy laminates, sitting rolled in bags would not be something I would expect to damage them.

 

[dt4134]

They'll be completely gone. Best let me take them off your hands. You'll be glad to get rid of them.

Seriously though, I'd be surprised if they've deterioated at all. Hoist them. It's pretty easy to see if sails are shot just by looking at the shape you get when you try to trim them.

 

[mikejames]

As others say, flogging and mistreatment while putting them away are more likely to damage the sails than storage. I finally replaced some from 1997 this year. Regularly used laminate with taffeta. The stitching wears out before the cloth goes.

We also won the GK24 class in the rather windy RTI using the same sails last year.

 

[William_H]

Hi JCP I would disagree. The one laminate sail I have had started to fail in the stiching area and the laminate itself looked damaged but it always had a good shape. They don't stretch like dacron but IMHO they won't take abuse like dacron. olewill

 

[Twister_Ken]

Depends whether the mice have found them.

 

[dt4134]

Ok, it was a brief reply and I did assume the sails hadn't been used as pub carpets or eaten by rats in the meantime. A visual inspection would always be a good idea.